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Make Scale Degrees ,Scale Aware - Printable Version

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Make Scale Degrees ,Scale Aware - phillwilson - 04-05-2022

Could the Scale Degree buttons ( centre circle) be made to be triggerable from an external MIDI device in a way that is AWARE of scale 

for example , if NDLR is set to play  in C major, then the C key on my external keyboard would trigger the I ( 1st degree )  , where as if NDLR is in E major, then it would be E that triggers the 1st degree.. etc

thanks

Phill


RE: Make Scale Degrees ,Scale Aware - Simon - 04-11-2022

This could be a bit complicated if I am following what you mean. 

So if each chord change follows the actual scale, the user would in theory need to know the scale to change the chords, or are you saying it just starts from E and just uses the white keys?

I - E, II - F#

or

1 - E, II - F


I think if it uses the actual scale notes, it would break the simplicity of the device for those that do not know theory, as well as mess with the black keys which are used for the other chord types. 

If it just starts on the keys letter and uses the white keys..... maybe, but then what happens if you're modulating the key with an LFO - you would be all over the place.

A lot of midi device that transpose, do so with a root note regardless of what's actually being played. I think on one of mine, middle C is the home un-transposed key.

I guess in terms of transposing you just have to forget about the note value and just think of C and being I, D II etc, and just an alternative to pressing the NDLRs buttons.


RE: Make Scale Degrees ,Scale Aware - phillwilson - 04-29-2022

hi , 

to clarify, I think most of this could be overcome in design

So, taking two scales, one obvious and one not so obvious

C major and F minor, 

if you wished to trigger chord changes from an external keyboard ( or in my case, a sequencer) 

A NDLR set up to  C major would expect the scale degrees to fall ...

I = C note ( Triggers C Major Chord) 
ii = D (  Triggers D Minor Chord)
iii = E ( Triggers E Minor Chord ) 
IV = F ( Triggers F Major Chord)
V = G ( Triggers G Major Chord) 
vi = A ( Triggers A Minor Chord)
vii = B ( Triggers B diminished chord) 

where as if NDLR was set to  F Natural Miinor

i = F note ( Triggers F Minor) 
II -= G note  ( Triggers G Major)
iii =  Ab note ( Triggers Ab Minor )

...... and so on


The benifit to doing it this way , is that a monophonic external sequencer can itself play in  key  on its own instrument whilst also allowing for polyphonic triggering of NDLR assets....

It could , of course be a simple menu idem so that it can be toggles "scaled on of off"  to allow for people with "static input devices were they would prefer to send C Major notes at all times to deal with degrees.

 FM L


RE: Make Scale Degrees ,Scale Aware - Jesse Johannesen - 04-29-2022

I think I see what you mean. So if I have a arturia beatstep I can use it to play the root note of the chord chosen on a synth while the NDLR is playing the notes of that chord? It makes sense but unfortunately the lack of any extra non volatile memory is preventing us from making many large scale changes to the way the NDLR functions for the most part.

It seems to me though that you wouldn't really be missing out on anything since the drone track basically does just that. Am I understanding the purpose correctly?
Jesse


RE: Make Scale Degrees ,Scale Aware - duncanrmi - 10-02-2023

I'm getting what I need by sending notes (that don't go to a synth) to the NDLR to control the degree & chord shape, but it's hard work....


RE: Make Scale Degrees ,Scale Aware - SteveECrane - 11-06-2023

(04-29-2022, 10:45 AM)Jesse Johannesen Wrote: "...but unfortunately the lack of any extra non volatile memory is preventing us from making many large scale changes to the way the NDLR functions for the most part."

Last week I discovered that the NDLR only has 8 'patch memories' to save complete setups. What this means is it has just fallen from grace as a live tool for me - 8 will be insufficient for a live show given how I employ NDLR in my studio. 

A suggestion was made indicating that I should search for a third-party app to perform such backups to mitigate against this limitation ... but this is somewhat redolent of the tape backup of my SH101 in the 1980's and something I'm no longer prepared to risk live. 

Clearly the lack of any available non-volatile memory is going to prove to be a serious limitation for the evolution of the v1 hardware, something I really did not anticipate ... and which makes something of a mockery of my recent feature request post! 

Let's hope any v2 variant has sufficiently more memory for such basic, perfunctory features and functionality. 

Cheers,
Steve.